U.S. patent application number 14/424349 was filed with the patent office on 2015-08-13 for fibrous metal-adsorbing material.
This patent application is currently assigned to NIPPON FILCON CO., LIMITED. The applicant listed for this patent is NIPPON FILCON CO., LIMITED. Invention is credited to Yoshinori Inoue, Takehiro Kajiwara, Toshifumi Katoh, Mitsuru Saito.
Application Number | 20150224474 14/424349 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50237027 |
Filed Date | 2015-08-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150224474 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Inoue; Yoshinori ; et
al. |
August 13, 2015 |
FIBROUS METAL-ADSORBING MATERIAL
Abstract
Provided is a fibrous adsorbing material used for the adsorption
and recovery of metals in a solution, which is a fibrous
metal-adsorbing material that can be produced using existing
production facilities without using special facilities or
complicated operations, has high durability, is easy to diversify,
and can be processed into various forms. The fibrous
metal-adsorbing material is produced by a) a step of preparing an
acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups in the
molecule, b) a step of kneading a low-melting-point fiber matrix
polymer therewith, c) a step of making the resulting mixture into a
fibrous form by an melt-blend spinning method, and d) a step of
allowing a long-chain ligand having an amino group or an imino
group to react with glycidyl groups on the fiber surface to
introduce a metal-adsorbing functional group. The fibrous
metal-adsorbing material has high durability, is easy to diversify,
and has various forms.
Inventors: |
Inoue; Yoshinori;
(Inagi-shi, JP) ; Katoh; Toshifumi; (Inagi-shi,
JP) ; Kajiwara; Takehiro; (Inagi-shi, JP) ;
Saito; Mitsuru; (Inagi-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NIPPON FILCON CO., LIMITED |
Inagi-shi, Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
NIPPON FILCON CO., LIMITED
Inagi-shi, Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
50237027 |
Appl. No.: |
14/424349 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
August 26, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2013/072651 |
371 Date: |
February 26, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
525/194 ;
264/176.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C08L 23/06 20130101;
B01J 20/3227 20130101; B01J 20/3014 20130101; C08F 8/30 20130101;
B01J 20/261 20130101; B01J 20/321 20130101; B29D 99/0078 20130101;
B01J 20/28023 20130101; B01J 20/3007 20130101; C02F 1/28 20130101;
B29K 2279/00 20130101; B29C 48/05 20190201; B29C 48/022 20190201;
B01J 20/262 20130101; D01F 6/34 20130101; B01J 20/3085 20130101;
B01J 20/327 20130101; B01J 20/3293 20130101; B29K 2277/00 20130101;
C02F 2101/20 20130101; C02F 1/286 20130101; B01J 20/265 20130101;
B01J 20/3212 20130101; B01J 20/328 20130101; B29K 2995/0068
20130101; C08G 81/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B01J 20/30 20060101
B01J020/30; B29D 99/00 20060101 B29D099/00; B01J 20/26 20060101
B01J020/26; B29C 47/00 20060101 B29C047/00; C08L 23/06 20060101
C08L023/06; B01J 20/28 20060101 B01J020/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 5, 2012 |
JP |
2012-194640 |
Claims
1. A fibrous metal-adsorbing material characterized by being
produced by spinning an acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups and a low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer having
a melting point of 200.degree. C. or less by a melt-blend spinning
method into a fibrous form, and then allowing a long-chain ligand
having an amino group or an imino group to react with glycidyl
groups on a fiber surface to introduce a metal-adsorbing functional
group.
2. The fibrous metal-adsorbing material according to claim 1,
wherein the long-chain ligand having an amino group or an imino
group is selected from the following materials: polyethyleneimine,
polyallylamine, and partially carboxymethylated products
thereof.
3. The fibrous metal-adsorbing material according to claim 1,
wherein the acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl
groups is a homopolymer or copolymer of an acrylate monomer having
a glycidyl group.
4. The fibrous metal-adsorbing material according to claim 1,
wherein the low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer having a melting
point of 200.degree. C. or less is selected from the following
materials: polyethylene, polypropylene, poly[ethylene-vinyl
acetate], and poly[ethylene-vinyl alcohol].
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a
fibrous metal-adsorbing material that is suitable for the
adsorption and recovery of metals in a wide variety of solutions
such as industrial wastewater, service water, environmental water,
and production process water, has high durability, is easy to
diversify, and can be processed into various forms.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] With the expansion of high-tech industry, the ensuring of
metal resources has become a serious problem. Metal elements
including rare metals, such as rare earth elements, indium,
niobium, and manganese, as well as platinum metals, copper, zinc,
aluminum, etc., are called "critical metals", which are extremely
important key materials in various industries in Japan. However,
these metal elements are not produced in Japan, and they are mostly
dependent on imports. It is expected that the consumption of
critical metals including rare metals will continue to
significantly increase. However, their reserves are highly unevenly
distributed in some areas, and also the price rapidly fluctuates
depending on the social situation, etc. Therefore, the supply state
is extremely unstable. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
of Japan has had several discussions about the general strategy for
the stable supply of rare metals since fiscal year 2008, and
established the "Strategy for Ensuring Rare Metals" in 2009. In
this strategy, together with the securing of foreign resources
(exploration development), the development of alternate materials,
and storage, the importance of recycling is mentioned. In addition,
the utilization of so-called "urban mine", a vast quantity of metal
resources, has also been drawing great attention. The Ministry of
Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
established the "Study Group on Collection and Appropriate
Treatment of Rare Metals from Used Small Home Electronics" in
fiscal year 2008, and discussions are ongoing to promote the
recovery and cyclic use of rare metal elements. Further, plating
washing wastewater or metal processing wastewater also contains
slight amounts of valuable metals. Considering the social situation
surrounding metal resources, recovery and recycling from such
wastewater are also important issues. In the construction of such a
recovery/recycling system for valuable metals, the development and
establishment of an efficient technique for the adsorption and
separation of valuable metals have been urgently needed.
[0003] Generally, for the removal and recovery of metals, methods
such as aggregation, coprecipitation, solvent extraction, and
granular adsorbing materials have been used. In consideration of
the facilities, environmental impact, and also recycling, a method
that uses a granular adsorbing material, such as an ion-exchange
resin or a chelating resin, is effective. These adsorbing materials
have been widely used for the removal and recovery of metals. In
particular, chelating resins have higher affinity than ion-exchange
resins and thus can be regarded as optimal adsorbing materials
(Nonpatent Documents 1 to 4). A chelating resin is believed to be
capable of adsorbing and recovering heavy metals in a solution
having high concentrations of salts, which is difficult to do with
an ion-exchange resin. Currently, chelating resins having various
functional groups, such as an iminodiacetic acid group, a
low-molecular-weight polyamine group, an aminophosphate group, an
isothionium group, a dithiocarbamic acid group, and a glucamine
group, are commercially available. Among them, a chelating resin
having introduced thereinto an iminodiacetic acid group, which is
applicable to the adsorption of a wide range of metals, has been
mainly used. However, the iminodiacetic-acid-type chelating resin
also captures alkaline earth elements, such as calcium, often
contained in a large amount in a solution to be treated, thereby
inhibiting the capture of the target element or reducing the
separation efficiency. In addition, the power of the
iminodiacetic-acid-type chelating resin to forma complex with a
metal element is not so high. Accordingly, in actual use, it often
happens that a high recovery rate is not obtained. If a chelating
resin that does not capture alkaline earth elements, etc., and
captures the metal element to be recovered selectively and reliably
at high speed can be developed, a high-concentration recovery
liquid (eluent) with less impurities can be obtained. This makes it
possible to solve the problems related to the recovery rate, cost,
purity increase, and the like in the valuable metal recovery
process. In addition, the chelating resin after metal elution can
be acid-cleaned and used again for adsorption, whereby the cost
related to adsorption and recovery can also be reduced. However, as
mentioned above, the iminodiacetic-acid-type chelating resin under
the present circumstances has low selectivity and is susceptible to
inhibition by coexisting elements, and thus is difficult to apply
to the valuable metal recovery process, where a high-purity,
high-concentration solution is required.
[0004] A chelating resin is a granular adsorbing material like
activated carbon and ion-exchange resins. A water treatment
technique using these granular adsorbing materials has already been
established and is expected to be heavily used also in the future.
However, because of its granular form, such a granular adsorbing
material has to be packed in a specific can when used, and thus is
sometimes difficult to apply to some conditions of use or some
installation environments. In addition, the chelating resin has a
low adsorption rate, and thus it is difficult to quickly treat a
large amount of water. Therefore, in order for such a chelating
resin to satisfy various requirements, as well as the improvement
of metal adsorption characteristics, the diversification of the
adsorbing material form also has to be considered.
[0005] In order to solve such problems, some methods for producing
a fibrous chelating adsorbing material that can be easily processed
into various forms and can meet various demands have been
disclosed. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for introducing a
chelating functional group into fibers using a chemical grafting
method. Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 disclose a method
for introducing a chelating functional group into fibers by
radiation exposure using a radical formation/graft polymerization
method. Patent Document 4 discloses a method for injecting a
low-molecular-weight chelating agent into general-purpose fibers
under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. These
chelating fibers have sufficient functions and a high adsorption
rate, and thus it is expected that a quick treatment is possible.
However, there are problems in production. In a chemical grafting
method, the kind of graftable fiber is limited, and also the
production process is complicated. A radiation grafting method is
advantageous in that it can be applied to various fibers unlike the
chemical grafting method. However, for the handling of radiation,
the operation is performed in a specific environment, and thus it
cannot be regarded as a simple and inexpensive production method.
In addition, although a chelating agent injection/impregnation
method is also advantageous in that various fibers can be used,
because this is an impregnation method under high-temperature and
high-pressure conditions, the general versatility is low.
[0006] Patent Document 5 discloses a method for producing a fibrous
metal-adsorbing material using a blend spinning method. According
to this method, a long-chain ligand (a metal-adsorbing compound
having a long molecular chain) is subjected to wet blend spinning
together with viscose, which allows for mass production at low cost
using existing facilities. This fibrous metal-adsorbing material,
as formed into a nonwoven fabric, shows metal adsorption capacity
that depends on the amount of blend spinning. Therefore,
metal-adsorbing materials in various forms can be produced (Patent
Document 6). This production method is simple. At the same time,
metal adsorption characteristics can also be diversified by
changing the long-chain ligand to be mixed. In addition, the
fibrous metal-adsorbing materials disclosed in Patent Documents 5
and 6 are not only superior in terms of production methods, but
also characterized in that because of the use of a long-chain
ligand, they have higher complex-forming ability together with
higher element selectivity as compared with iminodiacetic-acid-type
chelating resins. Further, because metal-adsorbing functional
groups are present only on the fiber surface, they are also
characterized in that as compared with a granular adsorbing
material having metal-adsorbing functional groups also inside the
pores, even when the dipping rate is increased, the metal-adsorbing
ability does not decrease. However, generally, a solution to be
treated, from which metals are recovered, is an acidic solution
containing hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, etc.
Rayon is decomposed when exposed to high acidity. Therefore, the
fibrous metal-adsorbing materials using rayon as the matrix
disclosed in Patent Document 5 and Patent Document 6 are limited in
use under acidic conditions. In addition, rayon is decomposed also
by microorganisms in the environment, etc. Therefore, there are
problems in that they cannot withstand continuous use over a long
period of time or several cycles of reuse.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2001-113272
[0008] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 4119966
[0009] [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent No. 3247704
[0010] [Patent Document 4] JP-A-2007-247104
[0011] [Patent Document 5] JP-A-2011-056349
[0012] [Patent Document 6] JP-A-2011-056350
Nonpatent Documents
[0013] [Nonpatent Document 1] Nobumasa HOJO, "Kireto
Jushi/Ion-Kokan Jushi (Chelate Resin/Ion-Exchange Resin)", Kodansha
Scientific (1976) [0014] [Nonpatent Document 2] Manabu SENOO,
Mitsuo ABE, Takashi SUZUKI, "Ion-Kokan, Kodo-Bunri Gijutsu no Kiso
(Ion Exchange, Foundation of Advanced Separation Technology)",
Kodansha Scientific (1991) [0015] [Nonpatent Document 3] Naoki
TOSHIMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO, Ryuichi YAMAMOTO, "Kinosei Kobunshi Zairyo
no Kagaku (Chemistry of Functional Polymer Materials)", Asakura
Publishing (1998) [0016] [Nonpatent Document 4] Yasushi KANZAKI
Ed., Japan Society of Ion Exchange, "Saisentan Ion-Kokan Gijutsu no
Subete (All about Latest Ion-Exchange Techniques)", Kogyo Chosakai
Publishing (2009)
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problems that the Invention is to Solve
[0017] The present invention has been accomplished in view of the
problems mentioned above. An object of the invention is to provide
a fibrous metal-adsorbing material used for the adsorption and
recovery of metals in a solution, which can be produced using
existing production facilities without using special facilities or
complicated operations, has high durability, is easy to diversify,
and can be processed into various forms.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0018] The present inventors have conducted intensive research. As
a result, they have found that a fibrous metal-adsorbing material
that has high durability, is easy to diversify, and can be
processed into various forms can be produced by spinning an
acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups and a
low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer having a melting point of
200.degree. C. or less by a melt-blend spinning method into a
fibrous form, and then allowing a long-chain ligand having an amino
group or an imino group to react with glycidyl groups on the fiber
surface to introduce a metal-adsorbing functional group.
[0019] The present invention relates to a fibrous metal-adsorbing
material characterized by being produced by spinning an acrylate
polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups and a
low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer having a melting point of
200.degree. C. or less by a melt-blend spinning method into a
fibrous form, and then allowing a long-chain ligand having an amino
group or an imino group to react with glycidyl groups on the fiber
surface to introduce a metal-adsorbing functional group.
[0020] In the present invention, the long-chain ligand having an
amino group or an imino group to react with glycidyl groups of a
fiber having mixed therewith an acrylate polymer having a large
number of glycidyl groups obtained by melt-blend spinning is
selected from the following materials: polyethyleneimine,
polyallylamine, and partially carboxymethylated products
thereof.
[0021] In the present invention, the acrylate polymer having a
large number of glycidyl groups is a homopolymer or copolymer of an
acrylate monomer having a glycidyl group.
[0022] In the present invention, the low-melting-point fiber matrix
polymer having a melting point of 200.degree. C. or less is
selected from the following materials: polyethylene, polypropylene,
poly[ethylene-vinyl acetate], and poly[ethylene-vinyl alcohol].
[0023] Incidentally, these requirements will be described in detail
in the Mode for Carrying Out the Invention.
Advantage of the Invention
[0024] According to the present invention, by a simple method
including a) a step of preparing an acrylate polymer having a large
number of glycidyl groups in the molecule, b) a step of kneading a
low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer therewith, c) a step of
making the resulting mixture into a fibrous form by an melt-blend
spinning method, and d) a step of allowing a long-chain ligand
having an amino group or an imino group to react with glycidyl
groups on the fiber surface to introduce a metal-adsorbing
functional group, a fibrous metal-adsorbing material that has high
durability, is easy to diversify, and can be processed into various
forms can be produced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a standard production process for the fibrous
metal-adsorbing material of the invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows an electron micrograph of a polyethylene fiber
having mixed therewith an acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups obtained in Example 1.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows an EDX pattern of copper measured by an energy
dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer after the adsorption of
copper on a fibrous metal-adsorbing material having introduced
thereinto pentaethylenehexamine obtained in Example 1.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0028] The present invention is characterized in that, as shown by
the standard production process for the fibrous metal-adsorbing
material of FIG. 1, an acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups and a low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer are
spun by a melt-blend spinning method into a fibrous form, and then
a long-chain ligand having an amino group or an imino group is
allowed to react with glycidyl groups on the fiber surface to
introduce a metal-adsorbing functional group, thereby producing a
fibrous metal-adsorbing material that has high durability, is easy
to diversify, and can be processed into various forms.
[0029] The acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl
groups used in the present invention is a homopolymer of an
acrylate monomer having a glycidyl group that can react with an
amino group or an imino group, or alternatively a copolymer of an
acrylate monomer and a copolymerizable monomer. Examples of
acrylate monomers having a glycidyl group include glycidyl acrylate
and glycidyl methacrylate. In the present invention, the
homopolymer or copolymer of an acrylate monomer is kneaded with a
low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer and subjected to melt-blend
spinning. Examples of monomers copolymerizable with an acrylate
monomer include styrene, acrylates having no glycidyl group,
methacrylates having no glycidyl group, acrylamide, and
methacrylamide. In the case where the proportion of such a
copolymerizable monomer is high, the glycidyl group content is low,
resulting in a reduced amount of metal-adsorbing functional groups
introduced. Therefore, the proportion of the acrylic monomer having
a glycidyl group in the acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups is 10 to 100% by weight, preferably 20 to 100% by
weight. In addition, although the molecular weight of the acrylate
polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups is not
particularly limited, in the case where the molecular weight is
high, the polymer is highly brittle, leading to a decrease in
kneading properties and spinning properties, and also the resulting
adsorbing material has low flexibility. In the invention, those
having a molecular weight of 10,000 to hundreds of thousands, which
are easy to synthesize and easily available, are used.
[0030] In the present invention, as the low-melting-point fiber
matrix polymer to be subjected to melt-blend spinning together with
the acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups, a
fiber matrix polymer having a melting point of 200.degree. C. or
less is used. Generally, a glycidyl group is decomposed at
200.degree. C. or more, and thus the object of the present
invention cannot be achieved when melt-blend spinning is performed
with a fiber matrix having a melting point of more than 200.degree.
C. As the low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer having a melting
point of 200.degree. C. or less, polyethylene, polypropylene,
poly[ethylene-vinyl acetate], or poly[ethylene-vinyl alcohol] is
used. These fiber matrix polymers are impervious to acid or alkali
in ordinary solutions to be treated and also have solvent
resistance. Therefore, they are suitable as fiber matrix polymers
for a high-durability fibrous metal-adsorbing material. In
addition, although the chemical resistance is slightly lower than
these olefinic fiber matrix polymers, Nylon 11 and Nylon 12 are
also usable as the fiber matrix polymer of the present
invention.
[0031] The metal adsorption capacity of the fibrous metal-adsorbing
material of the present invention depends on the proportion of the
acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups mixed
with the low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer and also the amount
of the long-chain ligand having an amino group or an imino group
introduced to react with glycidyl groups. In the case where the
proportion of the acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups mixed is low, the amount of the long-chain ligand
having an amino group or an imino group introduced is small,
resulting in low metal adsorption capacity. Therefore, with respect
to the proportion of the acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups mixed, the higher the better. However, because the
acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups used in
the present invention is highly brittle, when the mixing proportion
is increased, the spinning properties are deteriorated, making it
impossible to perform drawing. In addition, even when spinning can
be performed, the resulting fiber may have poor flexibility, making
fabrication difficult. Further, the acrylate polymer having a large
number of glycidyl groups is partially incorporated into the
low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer, and thus the long-chain
ligand having an amino group or an imino group cannot be introduced
into all the glycidyl groups in the mixed acrylate polymer. In the
present invention, the mixing ratio between the acrylate polymer
having a large number of glycidyl groups and the fiber matrix
polymer is 5:95 to 60:40, preferably 10:90 to 50:50.
[0032] The introduction of metal-adsorbing functional groups into a
fiber containing the acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups can be performed using a known glycidyl group
reaction. Various metal-coordinating low-molecular-weight compounds
that serve as metal-adsorbing functional groups are known, and many
of them can be introduced into a glycidyl group. However, the
introduction of a low-molecular-weight ligand is hardly effective
in terms of the stability constant of a metal complex and the
degree of freedom of functional groups. In the present invention,
in order to improve the stability constant of a metal complex, the
degree of freedom of functional groups, element selectivity, and
the rate of adsorption/desorption, a long-chain ligand having a
main chain made of an element such as C, N, or O with a length of
12 or more atoms is introduced as a metal-adsorbing functional
group.
[0033] The first mode of the long-chain ligand having an amino
group or an imino group for introducing a metal-adsorbing
functional group into a fiber having mixed therewith an acrylate
polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups is
polyethyleneimine or polyallylamine. These polyamines functions as
metal-adsorbing functional groups for transition metal elements. In
addition, they function as anion-exchange groups to contribute to
the enhancement of the adsorption power of molybdic acid or
tungstic acid, and are also effective in the adsorption of gold or
platinum under acidic conditions. These polyamines have a large
number of amino groups or imino groups and can react with a
plurality of glycidyl groups on the fiber surface, and thus are
introduced in such a manner that the surface of the fiber matrix is
covered therewith. As a result, the problem of water repellency due
to the fiber matrix is reduced, and it becomes possible to
efficiently adsorb and recover metals from an aqueous solution.
[0034] The second mode of the long-chain ligand having an amino
group or an imino group for introducing a metal-adsorbing
functional group into a fiber having mixed therewith an acrylate
polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups is
polyethyleneimine or polyallylamine with the nitrogen atoms being
partially carboxymethylated to retain an amino group or an imino
group. They show metal adsorption characteristics like
iminodiacetic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. As the
partial carboxymethylation to retain an amino group or an imino
group, it is possible that carboxymethylation is performed after
protective groups are previously attached to some amino groups or
imino groups. Alternatively, it is also possible that the
proportion of a carboxymethylating reagent (usually halogenated
acetic acid) relative to amino groups or imino groups of
polyethyleneimine or polyallylamine is reduced, and then the
reaction is carried out. The adjustment of the degree of
carboxymethylation makes it possible to improve the selectivity for
molybdic acid, tungstic acid, etc. Incidentally, also in the case
where a partially carboxymethylated polyamine is allowed to react,
because a plurality of amino groups or imino groups are present,
introduction is performed in such a manner that they react with a
plurality of glycidyl groups on the fiber surface, and the fiber
matrix surface is covered.
[0035] The introduction of a metal-adsorbing functional group into
a fiber having mixed therewith an acrylate polymer having a large
number of glycidyl groups is performed by immersing the fiber
having mixed therewith an acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups in a solution containing the long-chain ligand
having an amino group or an imino group to cause a reaction. By the
reaction between a glycidyl group and an amino group or an imino
group, the long-chain ligand is bonded to the acrylate polymer
having a large number of glycidyl groups. At this time, the
long-chain ligand reacts only with glycidyl groups that are present
on the fiber surface, and thus metal-adsorbing functional groups
are introduced only into the fiber surface. This provides a fibrous
metal-adsorbing material with a high adsorption/desorption rate. In
order to improve reactivity with a long-chain ligand, the fiber
containing the acrylate polymer having a large number of glycidyl
groups may be previously treated with hydrochloric acid to convert
glycidyl groups into chlorohydrin. The solution to dissolve the
long-chain ligand may be an aqueous solution, but the reaction rate
of the long-chain ligand may decrease because a polyolefinic
polymer is strongly water-repellent. Therefore, it is preferable
that the reaction is carried out in an alcohol solution or an
aqueous solution containing alcohol, in which the acrylate polymer
having a large number of glycidyl groups is not dissolved or
eluted. Further, the solution may also be heated as necessary. The
reaction to introduce the long-chain ligand is relatively quick.
Therefore, it is possible to immerse the spun fiber in a dip bath
filled with a long-chain ligand solution to introduce the
long-chain ligand. In addition, it is also possible to make the
fiber into a nonwoven fabric, and then introduce the long-chain
ligand by the same dipping method. Naturally, this long-chain
ligand introduction may be a continuous process or a batch process.
The fiber after the reaction has unreacted glycidyl groups
remaining therein. Such a fiber may be treated with alkali or acid
to introduce a hydroxyl group, or may also be post-treated to
introduce ionic functional groups, such as an amino group, a
carboxyl group, and a sulfo group, and further a compound that
serves as a low-molecular-weight ligand. By such a post-treatment,
the water repellency due to the fiber matrix polymer can be further
reduced, and also the metal adsorption characteristics can be
improved by the secondary effects.
[0036] Next, the present invention will be described with reference
to the examples. However, the present invention is not limited
thereto.
Example 1
(1) Kneading of Glycidyl-Group-Containing Polymer and
Polyethylene
[0037] 7.0 kg of a low-density polyethylene powder (manufactured by
Seishin Enterprise Co., Ltd., SK-PE-20L, average particle size:
about 20 .mu.m) and 3.0 kg of an acrylate polymer having a large
number of glycidyl groups (manufactured by NOF Corporation,
MARPROOF, molecular weight: about 12,000, epoxy value: 170 g/eq)
were premixed. The premixed resin powder was fed to a twin-screw
kneader (manufactured by Seishin Enterprise Co., Ltd., PMT32-30)
and kneaded at 180.degree. C., and, using a pelletizer,
polyethylene having kneaded therewith an acrylate polymer having a
large number of glycidyl groups was obtained. Some of the obtained
polyethylene having kneaded therewith an acrylate polymer having a
large number of glycidyl groups was taken and dried at 50.degree.
C. for 24 hours.
(2) Melt-Blend Spinning
[0038] Melt spinning was performed using, as a raw material, the
polyethylene obtained in (1) having kneaded therewith an acrylate
polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups. Spinning was
performed at a spinning temperature of 180.degree. C., a nozzle
temperature of 190.degree. C., a nozzle diameter of 0.8 mm, and a
discharge rate of 0.5 g/min to give a fiber having a fiber diameter
of 80 .mu.m. FIG. 2 shows an electron micrograph of the obtained
polyethylene fiber having mixed therewith an acrylate polymer
having a large number of glycidyl groups.
(3) Introduction of Metal-Adsorbing Functional Groups
[0039] The fiber obtained in (2) above was cut by a cutting machine
to about 50 mm into staple fibers. The cut staple fibers were
immersed in an isopropyl alcohol solution containing 20%
pentaethylenehexamine maintained at 40.degree. C. to introduce
pentaethylenehexamine. The reaction was followed by washing with
pure water, thereby giving a fibrous metal-adsorbing material
having introduced thereinto pentaethylenehexamine. The obtained
fibrous metal-adsorbing material was immersed in a 0.5 M copper
sulfate solution (adjusted to pH 5.5) to adsorb copper. The amount
of copper adsorbed was 0.54 mmol Cu/g. FIG. 3 shows the EDX pattern
of the copper-adsorbed fibrous metal-adsorbing material measured by
an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. As is clear
from FIG. 3, copper was uniformly adsorbed on the surface of the
fibrous adsorbing material. The obtained fibrous metal-adsorbing
material was immersed in 3 M nitric acid for 50 hours and then
washed with water, and the amount of copper adsorbed was determined
again. The amount of metal adsorption did not decrease even after
the immersion in nitric acid and washing, and a decrease in
performance under acidic conditions was not observed.
Example 2
[0040] A polyethylene fiber having mixed therewith an acrylate
polymer having a large number of glycidyl groups in an amount of
10% was prepared by the same method as in Example 1. The raw
materials and the spinning conditions used were the same as in
Example 1, except for the proportion of the acrylate polymer having
a large number of glycidyl groups mixed. Pentaethylenehexamine was
introduced by the same method as in Example 1, (3), thereby giving
a fibrous metal-adsorbing material. The amount of copper adsorbed
was 0.28 mmol Cu/g.
Example 3
[0041] Into the polyethylene fiber prepared in Example 1 having
mixed therewith an acrylate polymer having a large number of
glycidyl groups in an amount of 30%, partially carboxymethylated
polyethyleneimine obtained by carboxymethylating polyethyleneimine
(manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, molecular weight:
10,000) with chloroacetic acid in an amount of 0.8 molar
equivalents relative to the nitrogen amount was introduced by the
same method as in Example 1, (3). The amount of copper adsorbed on
the resulting fibrous metal-adsorbing material having introduced
thereinto partially carboxymethylated polyethyleneimine was 0.45
mmol Cu/g.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0042] According to the present invention, by a simple method
including a) a step of preparing an acrylate polymer having a large
number of glycidyl groups in the molecule, b) a step of kneading a
low-melting-point fiber matrix polymer therewith, c) a step of
making the resulting mixture into a fibrous form by an melt-blend
spinning method, and d) a step of allowing a long-chain ligand
having an amino group or an imino group to react with glycidyl
groups on the fiber surface to introduce a metal-adsorbing
functional group, a fibrous metal-adsorbing material that has high
durability, is easy to diversify, and can be processed into various
forms can be produced. In addition, various compounds can be
introduced into the amino groups or imino groups of the fibrous
metal-adsorbing material having a polyamine compound introduced
into glycidyl groups on the fiber surface thereof. Therefore, it is
possible to produce a fibrous metal-adsorbing material that can be
not only diversified in form but also provided with various
adsorption characteristics. Further, by a post-treatment, a
hydrophilic group, an ionic group, or a low-molecular-weight
coordinating functional group can be introduced into the remaining
glycidyl groups after the introduction of metal-adsorbing
functional groups. Therefore, it is also possible to develop
distinctive metal adsorption characteristics according to the metal
to be adsorbed and recovered or the coexisting elements. The
fibrous metal-adsorbing material obtained by the present invention
has high flexibility and can be easily processed into a cloth, such
as a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or a nonwoven fabric. By
fabricating such a cloth, it is possible to produce metal
adsorbents having various forms suitable for the recovery of
valuable metals or the removal of heavy metals.
* * * * *